Flask and stopper therefor



Patented Feb. 1.3, 1940 FLASK AND STOPPEE THEREFUB Fred A. Cutter, Oakland, and Robert K. Cutter,

Berkeley, Calif.; aselxnors to Cutter Laboratories, Berkeley, Calif., a corporation of California Application August so, 1937, semi No. 101,582

10 Claims.

rlhis invention relates to a iiask and stopper particularly designed for use in shipping and dispensing solutions for injection. Solutions of this character must be shipped and dispensed in ster- 5 ile condition and therefore considerable care must be given to the design oi asks and Stoppers used for this purpose. One of the greatest objections to Stoppers now available on the market is that due to the compression of the stopper it is dimcult to insert or remove the connecting tube. If the flask and stopper have been used in connection with shipping and dispensing dextrose solutions, and dextrose has been allowed to dry, it is often impossible to remove the glass connecting tube, and consequently in many instances the tube must be broken before the shipping case in which iiasks are returned for relling can be closed. ,In making injections of solutions it is sometimes found necessary to use more than one ilask of the solution, and in this connection considerable diflculty has been experienced in making the proper connections between two flasks without the necessity of either entirely removing the hypodermic needle from the patient or moving the needle to such an extent that it is painful to the patient. Also, if the connecting tube is transferred tovanother flask there is danger that air may be injected into the patients vein, thereby causing an air embolus which may cause death.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision, in'combination with a ask having a bead within its neck at a predetermined depthbelow its mouth, of a stopper the upper rim of which extends above the mouth of the ask, and means for holding the stopper within the neck of the bottle in engagement with said bead.

Another object of this invention is the provisionV of an apertured stopper having an upwardly extending rim on its upper end deiining a recess, and a diaphragm seated within said recess for closing oi the aperture or apertures of the stopper.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apertured stopper formed at its lower end with a recess terminating just short of its upper end, and thereby leaving a wall at this point of sufficient thinness to be easily pierced by a scalpel, yet sufficiently thick to eect 50 a seal about a piece oi tubing forced therethrough.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of an apertured stopper, the aperture or apertures of which are provided with an inwardly extending flexible ring by 'means of which a section of tubing may be detachably secured to the stopper in liquid-tight relation thereto.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the following descripa tion Where that form of the invention which has been selected for illustration in the drawing accompanying and forming a part of the present specification is outlined in full. In said drawing, one form o1' the invention is shown, but it is l0 to be understood` that it is not limited to such form, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical section 15 taken through a ask and `stopper embodying the objects of our invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a ask and a modified stopper. the recess in the upper face of which is somewhat larger at one point of its 20 periphery than the diaphragm accommodated therein. n

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line V3--3 of Figure 2'.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of 26 a flask and stoper such as shown in Figure 1 but in an inverted position and outwardly connected with sections of glass tubing.

Figure 5lis a fragmentary vertical section of a iiask in combination with an apertured stopper 80 having anupwardly extending rim and a twopiece cap for securing the stopper in place and hermetically sealing the upper end of the stopper.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail section of the 85 internal ring formed in the apertures of the Stoppers and by means of which a section of glass tubing may be detachably secured thereto.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail section of the internal ring such as shown in Figure 6, with a 40 section of glass tubing secured thereto in its operative position.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail section of the ring in its expanded or dilated position with a section ot glass tubing being withdrawn.

Referring now in detail to Figure 1: The iiask shown comprises a neck I having an exterior thread 2 and provided with an internal bead 3 located at a predetermined depth below its mouth or rim l. Tightly fitted within 50 the neck I is a rubber stopper 5, the lower end fi of which is seated on the bead 3 and the upper end of which is provided with an upwardly extending rim 6 extending above the mouth or rim 4 of the iiask and dening a central ,recess 1. u

Passing through the stopper and communicating with the recess 1 is a pair of apertures or openings 8 and 9 and a bore or depression II, the upper end of which is separated from the upper face of the stopper by a relatively thin wall I2. 'I'he upper face of the wall I2 is provided with a circular bead I8 "which serves to definitely locate the depression II. The wall I2 should be thin enough'to be readily pierced by a scalpel, but thick enough to make a liquid-tight seal about a section of glass tubing. Formed integral with the stopper 5 is a ring I4 extending radially and downwardly into the opening or aperture 8 (see Figures 6, '7, and 8). Seated within the recess 1 is a diaphragm I5, preferably of such form as to conform to the shape of the recess 1. Formed integral with and depending from the diaphragm I5 is a pair of spaced plugs I8 and I1 adapted to register with and close the upper end of the openings or apertures 8 and 9. The lower face of the diaphragm I5 is formed with a channel I8 adapted to overlie the circular bead I8, and this portion of the diaphragm, being of diminished thickness. serves as a hinge about which the plug I1 may be rotated when it is desired to open the aperture 8. The mouths of the openings 8 and 9 may therefore be considered as being closed bya pair of spaced plugs secured together by an intermediate hinge. However, if desired, the plugs may be separate so that each may be removed-independently of the other. A two-piece cap consisting of an inwardly anged threaded ring I9 and a disk 2I, serves to hold the stopper 5 sealed in its operative position against the bead 8 and also to hermetically seal the rim 8 of the stopper. It is to be particularly noted that in this construction the diaphragm I5 is well below the upper edge of the rim 8 and that vtherefore there is no contact between the disk 2| and the diaphragm I5. Secured within the aperture 9 is an air vent tubing I0.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3;

The ask shown in these figures comprises a neck 8| having an interior bead 82 and a mouth or rim 88. Tightly fitted within the neck 8| and seated on the bead 82 is a rubber stopper 84 having on its upper face an upwardly extending rim 85 dening a central circular recess 88. The recess 88 is provided at one point of its periphery with an extension 88'. Extending longitudinally through the stopper 84 is a pair of openings or apertures 81 and 88. Provided within the aperture 81, which is considerably larger than the aperture 88, is a radially and inwardly extending ring 89, by means of which a glass tting may be secured to the stopper. Secured within the smaller aperture 88 is a' glass air vent tube 4I. Seated within the recess 88 is a circular rubber diaphragm 42 provided with a depending plug 48 adapted to extend into and close the ring 88 and with a depending plug 44l adapted to extend into and close the aperture 88. The diaphragm 42 may be lifted from its seat by the insertion of a tool or fingernail into the recess extension 88'. Like the stopper 5 shown in Figure 1, the stopper 84 is provided with a recess corresponding to the recess II terminating at the upper end of the stopper in a relatively thin wall 45. The upper end of the flask is closed by a two-piece cap consisting of an inwardly ange interiorly threaded ring 48 and a disc 41 adapted to overlie the stop-V per rim 45. In contrast to the structure shown in Figure 1, the disc 41 contacts the diaphragm 42, thereby aiding in holding it in positive engagement with the stopper 84.

The construction of the iiask and plug as shown in Figure 4 is identical with that shown in Figure 1 with the exception that the neck I of the flask is interiorly tapered, and a correspondingly tapered plug 5' is provided. As shown inV Figure 4, a connecting nipple 25 is detachably secured within the opening or aperture 8 by the rin-g I4.

In Figure 5 is shown a ask having a neck 5I provided with an external thread 52, an internal bead 58, and a mouth or rim 54. Tightly fitted within the neck 5I and seated on the bead 58 is a stopper 55 having a rim 56 extending above the rim or mouth 54 and defining a central depression 51. The stopper 55, is provided with an aperture or opening 58 and with an upwardly extending depression 59 terminating short of the upper face of the stopper and separated therefrom by a relatively thin wall 8|. Seated within the depression 51 is a fiat rubber diaphragm 60 adapted to seal the opening 58. A two-piece cap consisting of an inwardly flanged threaded ring 62 and a disc 83, serves to hold the stopper in its operative position and to hermetically seal the upper end of the stopper. It is to be noted. however, that there is no contact between the disc 88 and the diaphragm 60'. The details of construction and operation of the downwardly and inwardly extending rings I4 and 89 is shown in Figures 6, '1, and 8. The ring I4 should be of such dimensions that it will grip the nipple 25 with sumcient force to hold it in place under any normal operating conditions, and sufficiently flexible so that it may be extroverted or evaginated as shown in Figure 8 in order to release the nipple. In actual practice, it has been found that lthe rings I4 and 89 may be so designed that a pull of eight pounds on the nipple 25 is required in order to disengage the tubing. As so constructed,

the ring I4 has been found to make an effective seal about the tubing and yet permit the ready insertion and removal of the tubing whenever desired.

A nask constructed as above described is filled and sealed for shipping purposes with physiological salt solutions or glucose solutions as follows: The flask when in a sterile condition is filled with the solution, heated, and then closed by means of the stopper 5, diaphragm I5, and the two-piece cap, and with the air vent tube I in place. Since the ask is sealed when its contents are at an elevated temperature, there is a certain amount of vapor present in the upper portion of the flask which on cooling condenses and leaves the flask under a partial vacuum. 'I'he differential pressure created between the interior and exterior of the flask is sumcient to hold the diaphragm I in sealed relation on the stopper 5, even though as shown in Figure 1 there is no contact between the disc 2|` and the diaphragm I5.

When it is desired to dispense the contents of the flask, the plug I1 which closes the air vent tube II), is first removed from the aperture 9. If, as it should be, there is a partial vacuum in the upper part of the flask, bubbles of air will pass down through the air vent tube and then up into the upper part of the flask. If no vacuum exists, air will not pass downwardly through the air vent tube, and therefore the formation and travel of air Ibubbles is an indication that the ask was hermetically sealed up to the time at which the plug I1 was removed. After this test has been made, the diaphragm I5 is entirely removed and 75 a hypodermic needle connected in the usual manner through suitable tubing inserted ln the4 ring Il. v

. If the contents of a single flask are noil suillcient for the required injection, a second flask may be connected with the first flask without the removal of the hypodermic needle from the patient, by simply slitting the thin wall I2 of the depression Il (Figure 1) with a scalpel and connecting the outlet of the fresh ask with the spent flask through the opening so formed.

We claim:

l. A stopper having a pair of spaced openings extending therethrough; an upwardly extending rim formed on the upper end of said stopper and defining a recess; and a diaphragm of flexible material seated in said recess and provided with a pair of depending plugs adapted to register with and seal said openings.

2. A stopper having a pair of spaced openings extending therethrough; an upwardly extending rim formed on the upper end of said stopper and defining a recess; and a pair of hinged plugs adapted to close said openings.

3. A stopper having an opening extending therethrough; and a flange extending inwardly from the wall of said opening in the general form of a frustrated cone, said flange being of such resiliency as to expand readily upon the insertion of a tube of slightly larger diameter than the smaller diameter of the flange and to be placed under compression upon the extraction of said tube to thereby restrain the further extraction of the tube and the extroversion of said flange.

4. A stopper having an opening extending therethrough; and a resilient flange extending inwardly from the wall of said opening in the general form of a frustrated cone and forming a re-entrant opening adapted upon expansion of its smaller diameter to receive a tube of a diameter slightly larger than said smaller diameter and adapted upon the reverse movement of said tube to be placed under compression and thereby restrain further reverse movement of said tube and resist its own extroversion.

5. In combination: a flask having stop means located within its neck at a predetermined depth below its mouth; a stopper having at its upper end a ilangeiess upwardly extending rim, said stopper being tightly fitted within the neck of said flask in contact said stop means and with said rim extendinghbove the mouth of said flask; and a cap secured over the mouth of said nasi: in engagement with said rim.

6. A stopper having a pair of spaced openings extending therethrough, a portion of 4said stopper being sufciently thin to be readily punctureable by a hypodermic needle.

7. For use in the administration of intravenous injections and the like, a stopper having an opening extending therethrough; and a resilient flange extending inwardly from the wall of said opening in the general form of a frustrated cone, the base of said flange being held against relative motion with respect to said stopper, said ange being of such resiliency as to enable the flange to make a liquid-tight seal with a tube of slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the opening in said flange without the use of an adhesive, and to permit the extroversion of said flange upon an upward movement of such a tube relative to the ange.

8. For use in the administration of intravenous injections and the like, a stopper having an opening extending therethrough; and a resilient frustro-conical shaped flange extending inwardly from the wall of said opening, the depth of said flange being not greater than its larger diameter and said flange being of such resilience as to enable theflange to make a liquid-tight seal with a tuhe of slightly larger diameter than the diameter of 5the opening in said flange' without the use `of `an adhesive, and to permit the extroversion of said flange upon an upward movement of such a tube relative to the ange.

9. A stopper having a pair of spaced openingsextending therethrough; an upwardly extending rim formed on the upper end of said stopper defining a recess; and a diaphragm flexible material seated in said recess; a portion of said stopperbeing sufficiently thin to be readily puncureable by a hypodermic needle.

l0. In combination; a flask having stop means located within its neck at a predetermined depth below its mouth; a stopper tightly fitted within the neck of said flask in contact with said stop means and having its upper end extending above the mouth of said flask; a cap secured over the mouth of said flask ln engagement with said stopper; an opening extending through the stopper, and a resilient flange extending inwardly from the wall of said opening in the general form of a frustrated cone, the base of said flange being held against relative motion with respect to said stopper, said flange being of -suoli resilience as to enable the flange to make a liquid-tight seal with a tube of slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the opening in said ange.

- FRED A. CUTTER.

ROBERT K. CUTTER. 

